Pajama Story Time, 10/31/12

This was a trickier story time than usual. Most kids were out trick-or-treating, and only two came to story time. One spoke very little English, so his dad tried to translate for him. The other child was a regular, though, so it worked out fine, even if it was a little bit awkward for me. I will say that the spider theme is a good one, and I would like to use it again.

Book: The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out! by Troy Cummings

Book: The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Flannel Board Rhyme: Four Colorful Flies

Book: Wilbur Makes a Friend by Jennifer Frantz
I am normally against easy reader adaptations of famous books, but I thought this particular one was a nice introduction to Charlotte's Web, and I made sure to explain that it was taken from a novel and that the novel is great.

Song: There's a Spider on the Floor

Book: Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott

I use the same hello and goodbye songs at almost every session. Click here for the tunes and words. For descriptions of each of my story times, click here.

Toddler Lap Time, 10/25/12 & 10/26/12

This story time had a day and night theme, and this time, I even announced the theme to the group!

Song: Way Up in the Sky

Song with Puppets: When Cows Get Up in the Morning
I have never used this song at story time before, though I have always known it. It worked really well with this group.

Book: Hello, Day by Anita Lobel

Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Song: Mr. Sun

Book: What the Sun Sees by Nancy Tafuri

Song: Moon Moon Moon (Thursday session); Mrs. Moon, based on Mr. Sun (Friday session)

Book: What the Moon Sees by Nancy Tafuri

Song: Moon Moon Moon (Friday session)

Song: Five in the Bed

Book: A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

Song with Puppets: Goodnight

Song: ABCs (Thursday session)

Song: Twinkle Twinkle

Song: Sing a Happy Song

Songs with Shakers:

• ABCs (Friday session)
• Sing a Happy Song (Friday session)
• Shake My Sillies Out 
• Can You Shake Your Egg with Me?

I use the same hello and goodbye songs at almost every session. Click here for the tunes and words. For descriptions of each of my story times, click here.

Drop-In Story Time, 10/23/12

Book: Let’s Go For a Drive by Mo Willems
This book is long for toddlers, but it has a lot of call and response stuff, and the characters are well known, so I gave it a shot. It was a smart move. Everybody loved it! 

Song with ukulele: Let’s Take a Ride in an Automobile (from Sesame Street)

Book: Sputter Sputter Sput by Babs Bell, illustrated Bob Staake
I wondered how this book would go over, and I think it was kind of a flop. The text is just a bit too stilted to make sense. The illustrations are perfect, though.

Book: The Wheels on the Bus by Annie Kubler
You can never go wrong singing The Wheels on the Bus, with or without a book.

Letter of the Day: Letter J

• Mr. Scarecrow’s Jack o’Lantern
• Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
• Walking Through the Jungle

Songs with Ukulele: ABCs/Twinkle Twinkle Little Star/Baa Baa Black Sheep

Flannel Board Rhyme: Signs of Fall
I wrote this rhyme last year and never used it, so I tried it out. It was good, but there were people sitting behind me, who insist on leaning against a wall, so it was hard to keep the rhythm of the rhyme and make sure everyone could see the flannel pieces at the same time.  

Song: Brown Squirrel
Rhyme: Blue is the Lake

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

Song: Chickadee

I use the same hello and goodbye songs at almost every session. Click here for the tunes and words. For descriptions of each of my story times, click here.

Outreach Round-Up, 10/17/12 - 10/26/12

Rec. Center Cooperative Play Program: Wednesday, 10/17

• Books: Will You Be My Friend?, Frogs Jump, Pumpkin Day, Pumpkin Night
• Songs: If You’d Like to Read a Book, Sing a Happy Song, Chickadee, Brown Squirrel, These Are My Glasses
• Rhyme: Way Up High in the Apple Tree 
• Notes: Will You Be My Friend? is really an easy reader. Weird for Tafuri.  Frogs Jump is too repetitive - I got sick of repeating myself. Brown Squirrel is not a hit this year. Might be time to scrap it.

Public School Pre-K: Wednesday, 10/17

• Books: Extra Yarn, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Jennie’s Hat, Pete the Cat: Rocking in my School Shoes
• Songs:  If You’re Like To Read a Book, Hat, Coat, Pants, and Shoes, These Are My Glasses
  Rhyme: Hats on Everyone
• Notes: Extra Yarn is my new favorite book. Hat, Coat, Pants, and Shoes was a huge hit. I have never seen kids laugh so hard. They also loved Hats on Everyone.

Catholic School Pre-K: Thursday, 10/18

• Books: Extra Yarn, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, Jennie’s Hat, Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
• Songs: If You’d Like to Read a Book, Hat, Coat, Pants, and Shoes, These Are My Glasses
• Rhyme: Hats on Everyone
• Notes: This was not a very memorable visit. I need to get into a more interesting routine!

Catholic School 5th Grade: Thursday, 10/18

• Reader's Theater: The Hidden One
• Notes: The kids loved this, though it was a bit below their reading levels. They all wanted to look at The Rough-face Girl afterward, since it's a picture book of the same folk tale.

Catholic School Kindergarten: Friday, 10/19

• Book: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
• Song: Hat, Coat, Pants, and Shoes

Catholic School 1st Grade: Friday, 10/19

• Book: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
• Song: Hat, Coat, Pants, and Shoes

Public School Pre-K/KAfter Care: Tuesday, 10/23

• Books: Let’s Go For a Drive, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out Big Time!
• Songs: Hat, Coat, Pants and Shoes, These Are My Glasses 
• Rhyme: This is Big, Big, Big
• Notes: Let's Go For a Drive has the flattest ending, which is a shame because the rest of it is really great for story time. 

Catholic School 5th Grade: Thursday, 10/25

• Short Story: “Will” by Adam Rex (from Guys Read: Funny Business)
• Notes: This is the second time I've read this story to this grade level. This time, after I closed the book, one of the boys shouted, "That was awesome!" 

Public School Pre-K: Friday, 10/26

• Books: Yoko, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?, The Pirate of Kindergarten
• Songs: Hat, Coat, Pants, and Shoes, These Are My Glasses 
• Notes: This is a lovely group. Their teacher requested five senses books, so that's how I chose these titles. All were great successes, though The Pirate of Kindergarten was harder for them to understand than I realized.